Collapsible carrying case



April 3, 1962 F. A. COCHRAN COLLAPSIBLE CARRYING CASE Filed Aug. 25, 1958 nlnnlll. 'Illia ill. l, Il

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INVENTOR. Feder/'ci bc/Wan United `States Patent Otice 3,028,044 Patented Apr. 3, 1962 3,028,044 COLLAPSIBLE CARRYING CASE Frederick A. Cochran, Kansas City, Mo., assigner, by mesne assignments, to National Folding Carton and Tube Company, Kansas City, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Filed Aug. 25, 1958, Ser. No. 757,034 1 Claim. (Cl. 220-113) This invention relates to a carrying case for articles of merchandise that is especially adapted for display purposes and which is ordinarily disposed of after use of the product by the purchaser, the case therefore, being adapted for manufacture from cardboard or other relatively inexpensive, foldable material.

It is the most important object of the present invention to provide a carrying case that is self-supporting, particularly when the merchandise is contained therein, and which, when placed on display, is relatively stable, while at the same time presenting -a novel appearance that will catch the eye of the potential purchaser.

Still another object of the instant invention is to provide a carrying case that has a pair of identical hingedly interconnected parts foldable in back-to-back relationship for convenience in carrying through use of upward extensions thereon having aligned hand holes.

Another important object of the instant invention is to provide a carrying case that is readily collapsible for storage and shipment prior to use, but which at the same time is adapted for stacking and nesting after the merchandise is placed therein.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a carrying case having all of the aforementioned attributes, yet which may be quickly, easily, and inexpensively stamped or otherwise formed from a single sheet or blank of bendable material such as cardboard.

In 4the drawing:

FIG. l is a plan view of a blank stamped from a single sheet of -foldable material and from which the collapsible carrying case of the instant invention may be made;

FIG. 2 is a vertical, substantially central, cross-sectional view through the carrying case when the two bodies thereof are back-to-back;

FIG. 3 is a perspective View of the collapsible carrying case illustrating the same in a merchandise display position; and

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 on a slightly larger scale and fragmentarily illustrating the position of one of the articles of merchandise within a notch formed in the top Wall of one of the hollow bodies.

The carrying case illustrated in the drawing is particularly adapted to receive articles of merchandise such as ilat cans 10, having tubular necks 12, in turn provided with screw-threaded caps 14, it being apparent from FIG. 3 particularly, that four of such cans -10 may be accommodated by the carrying case.

To this end the case includes essentially a pair of identical units 16 and 16 made from a single sheet of ilexible material stamped or otherwise formed to present blank 18 such as shown in FIG. 1. Thus, unit 16 only will hereafter be described and similar parts in the unit 16 will be designated by the same numerals accompanied by a prime mark.

As seen in FIG. 1, the blank 18 is sub-divided longitudinally into a pair of identical rectangular lengths by a line of severance 20, extending from one end of the blank 18 to a transverse line of fold 22 and thence toward the opposite end of the blank 18 in a median longitudinal line of bend 24, terminating in a short line of severance 26. A second transverse line of fold 28 sets oif bottom walls 30 and 30. A third transverse line of fold 32 sets off 2 front walls 34 and 34. Still another transverse line of fold 36 defines top Walls -38 and 38', as Well as end panels 40 and 41 having hand holes 42 and 42. therein. A transverse strip of adhesive 44 on the panels 40-40 is interposed between the line of fold 36 and hand holes 42-42.

The top walls 38-38 are provided with end notches 46 and 46 respectively for receiving the necks 12 of containers 10 as will hereafter be apparent. When the blank 1-8 is in the flat condition shown in FIG. 1, proximal notches `46 and 46 are in end-to-end relationship across the line of severance 20 as is obvious from FIG. 1.

A transverse line of fold 48 at the opposite end of the blank 18, sets olf back walls 50 and 50 which are in turn traversed by a strip of adhesive 52.- -Hand holes 54 and S4 are provided in those portions 56 and 56 of back walls 50 and 50 that are confined between line of fold 48 and adhesive strip 52.

Adhesive flaps 58 and 58 are formed between line of fold -48 and the proximal end of the blank 18 and the latter continues in a pair of tabs 60 and 60', aligned with corresponding hand holes 54, 42-S4, 42'.

Thus, when the blank 18 is shaped to the configuration shown in FIG. 3 through use of the various lines of fold and bend above described, there is presented a pair of identical, open end, hollow bodies 62 and 62 that are hingedly interconnected solely by the line of bend 24. The sides of the bodies 62 and 62 are produced by the back walls 50-50 and front walls 34 34. The panels 40-40 are brought together in face-to-face relationship with portions 56-56 and attached thereto by the strip of adhesive 44. This brings the hand holes 42-42 into register with hand holes 54-54. The flaps 58 are thereon folded over the upper edges of the panels 40- 40' and attached to the panels 40-40 by the adhesive on the aps 58-58. This brings the tabs 60--60' into alignment with the hand holes so that one of such tabs may be extended through the hand holes in the manner illustrated by FIGS. 2 and 4 Whenever the walls 50 and 50 are in back-to-back relationship.

Hence, the articles 10 may be easily and quickly inserted into the bodies 63-62 through the open ends thereof to a position where the notches 46-46 receive the necks 12 with the outturned flanges 64 of the caps 14 in partial overlying relationship to the top walls 38-*382 During storage and shipment of the carrying cases prior to insertion of the articles 10 therein, such cases may be collapsed to a relatively flat condition by bringing the ybacks 50 and 50 into overlapping interengagement and by folding the top wall 38-38', upwardly into overlapping relationship to panels 40-40'. Bottom walls 30- 30 likewise fold upwardly into overlapping relationship to back Walls 50-50.

Storage or shipment of a plurality of cases with the articles 10 therein is also possible since the bottoms 30- 30 will rest upon the caps 14 therebelow and the carrying members 66 and 66', when disposed substantially as shown in FIG. 2, will conveniently in-terleave between adjacent front and back walls of proximal cases.

It is to be noted at this juncture that each carrying member 66--66 is of double thickness because of the two vportions 40 and 56 thereof and of triple thickness at the uppermost edges because of the additional ap 5S. Adequate strength is, therefore, provided for carrying purposes and because of the tabs 60-60, no sharp edge is presented which would tend to cut the hand of the user.

During display, the carrying case may be disposed in the manner illustrated in FIG. 3, or the two units 16 and 16 disposed in back-to-back relationship as shown in FIG. 2, or the units 16-16 may be brought in end-toend relationship with the front walls 34 and 34 in the same vertical plane, all as may be desired 4by the mcrchant. Score lines may be provided at the lines of bend or fold wherever desired to facilitate assembling the blank 18 to the condition illustrated in FIG. 3.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent:

A carrying case formed from a sheet of initially at foldable material and comprising a pair of hollow bodies, each having a front Wall, a back wall, a top Wall and a bottom Wall, the ends of each body being open for receiving articles of merchandise, each body having an integral carrying member provided with a hand hole, each of said members being formed from a portion Vintegral with the back wall of its corresponding body and a panel integral with the top wall of its corresponding body, said portion and said panel being in overlying relationship, said carrying member being substantially co-planar with said back wall, the said portion of the back wall having a flap inte- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

